Lock.



LOCK.

APPLIcAfloN FILED APfLzQ` 1918.

Patented Mayr. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

T WT, 4.72/5

LOCK. APPLICATION man APA-.29.'191a- Patented Mm'. l, 19H).

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 A....fla

FRANK A. JOHNSON, 0F DAN'VILLE, ILLIIN'OLIS.l

LOCK. y Specification of Letters'latent.

Patented lar. 4, 1919.

Application filed April 29, 19.18. Serial No, 231,517.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK A. JOHNSON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Vermilion and State 4of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks; and I do declare the following to be-a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

his invention relates to looks, and it relates more particularly to an improved keyless lock for automobiles.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved keyless or combination lock whereby the steerin wheel of an automobile may be securely loced, and may be quickly unlocked only by a person having a knowledge of the combination;

Another obj ect is to provide a lock of this character which may be bodily detached when desired, but secured against detach? not having knowledge of ment by a person the combination;

Another object is to provide a lock of this character having a starting-point indicator that is automatically and alternately moved into and out of tangible position, so that the lock can be manipulated as well in the dark as in the light;

Another object is to provide a lock of this character which is compact, strong, durable, convenient, thoroughly practical, and which may be manufactured at a comparatively slight cost.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read thefollowing details of description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a 4fragment of an autombile having my improved keyless lock in its operative position thereon; p

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View, the section being taken substantially along the line .2f-'2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken'substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, a portion being broken away;

1F ig. 4 'is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

dig. 5 is a transverse sectional view, the section line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view along the line -6 of Figs. 2 and 3;

'taken being taken substantially along the l 7 is a sectional view line 7-7 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the means for connecting the body of the lock with the dashboard of the automobile.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters correpond with similar parts thrcuighout the several views, the dashboard l0 and steering wheel 1l of the automobile are shouf'n merely to illustrate the applicatioii ot my improved locking device, it is to be understood that the latter is capable of application in connection with other elements of an automobile or of any "other object having relatively movable parts that are to be locked .in immovable relation to one another.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 8, it will be seen that this locking device' consists broadly of a steering-wheel attachi'nent 12, a dashboard attachment 13 and a rigid connection or link 14. The link 14 may be either hollow or solid and is pivotally connectedat l5 to the screwthreaded attachment 13, the latter being provided with a nut 16 which maybe held on the attachment 13 by any appropriate means so as to secure the attachment 13 in place. The link 14 may beswung on its pivot into and out of connection with the body 12, and an arm or stud 17 extends laterally from one end of the link 14 and is provided with a notch 18. rEhe steering-whcel attachment 12 comprises a body or frame which preferably consists of a lower plate 19 having upstanding ends 2O and 2l, and au upper plate 22, these plates being secured together by means of screws 23 so as to form a housing in which is supported a portion of the locking mechanism' presently to be described.

n open frame 24 surrounds the housing so as to close the previously open sides thereof, and this frame or outer housing 24 is provided with flanges or extensions 25 which are connected by arcuate edges 26 which are adapted to iit aboutv the coavexed surface ot' the steering wheel 11 as indicated in Figs. 5 and G., It will be seen. however, that the arc of each edge 26 is somewhat great-er than that of the steeringwheel section, and that it is adapted to be fitted to steering wheels of greater or less diameter in cross section.

A sheet metal securing element 27 is provided with apertures 28 which engage with securing elements 29 for securing the curved securing member ror clement 27 inA locked taken along the ilo ' the elements 19 to 22 inclusive.

.il il thereon and bears against be moved longitudinally operative or inei'ectual position,

r4at 33 to 'the plate L shaft 39 is supported by -the engagement with The lsecur- -ing elements 29-are each secured on a pintle or shaft 30, and these shafts are each pivotally connected at 31-to a supporting bracket 32. rlhese supporting brackets are secure 19 and one end of each late 19 so as Jto prevent movement o'i 'the shafts 30 toward said plate. A notch or slot 34 may be pro vided in Lthe other end of each shaft 30.- The plate 22 is provided with apertures 35 through which a key or other instrument may be' inserted for engaging the notch 34 so at to turn the shafts and thereby move the securing elements 29 out of engagement with the notches 28; and it will be seen Jfrom the foregoing that the securing member 27 may be quickly and easily united and disunited with` the body of .the lock. However, it is desirable that the shafts 30 be rendered inoperable or inaccessible at times, so that the lock may be removed from the steering wheel by an authorized person only d, therefore, l provide a'platle 36 whichy as apertures 37 that are movable into and out oir' registry with the apertures 35, and it is obvious that when theseapertures are out of registry, the shafts are inaccessible and inoperable.

ylihe Ir-ate 36 is provided with a handle or manip ative element 38 whereby it may be moved rom the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown ,in and this plate is apertured at 39 for the reception of an arm or L-shaped locking ele- :ment 40. -Ar nut or shoulder 41 is provided on the element 40, and a spring 42 is seated the lower surface of the plate 22. The upper portion of the larrn is slidable along a slot 43 in the plate 22, and the ends of1 this shoulder limit the movements arm 40.

The lower end of the arm 40 is parallel with the plate 36, so that this lower end is moved longitudinally when the plate 36 is moved. rihe arm 17 of the link-14 extends into an aperture 44 of the lock-'body or casand the notch 18 receives the lower end of the arm 40 when the latter is in its operative position, and it. will be seen that the arm 40 now prevents disengagement of the arm 17 from the body or casing. However, 4when the arm 40 is in its inoperative position shown in Fig. 4, the arm 17 may out of the aperture being provided at of the plate 36 and the or seat 44, a pivot joint the junction of the arm 17 with the links 14, to allow such movement. ln order that the elements 36 and' 4O'may` be interfered with so as to prevent their movementl from the operative or effective position to the in- I provide one or more rotary tumblers or lnteriering the body which consists of i Fig. 4 and vice versa elements 46 which are mounted to rotate on a shaft 47 which extends upward from the plate 19 and is secured thereto. Each of the tumblers 46 is provided notch 48, a series of ridges or teeth 49 and a pin or ystud 50. For the purpose of rotatafter they have been pushed inward, these springs being suitably secured to the'upturned portion 21. lSuitable guides cooperate with studs 56 on the pushers to guide the latter rectilinearly these guides being supported by a brac et 57 which extends upward rorn-the plate 19. By

means of these pushers 51, the tumblers 46,

may be rotated step-by-step so as to bring the notches 48 into the path Vof movement of the arm 40, so that the latter may be moved toits inoperative position, andthe apertures 35 and 37- may be brought into registry.

Because of the inner and ,outer housings completely concealing the tumblers and the arm 40, it is impossible to'detect them by' the sense of sight when the notches 48 are in position to receive the arm 40. Therefore it is necessary that an indicating means be provided. Such indicating means may preferably consist of a feeler for each of the tumblers 48 and means for moving the eeler into and out of a tangible position. In the present instance, each feeler consists of a pin or stud 58 which is movable inward and outward through alined a )ertures 59 in the inner and outer casing. lach element 58 is secured to a spring 60 which normally holds the fceler in the intangible position shown in Fig. 2, each spring 60 being secured to a flange 61 formed on the upstanding portion 21. The pin 50 of each tumbler 46 presses the corresponding spring 60 so as to. move thc feeler outward, and then releases thc spring so that it draws the fceler inward.' The operation of this lock is as follows:

Assuming that the attachment 12 is scoured on the wheel 11, and the attaclnuent 13 is secured to the dashboard or to some other fixed or stationary object, the parts of the attachment 12 being in the position shown in Fig. 4, the arm 17 -is now pushed into the aperture 44, the manipulative element 38 is moved so as to shift the plate 36 3, and one or both of the pushers 31 are pushed so as to bring one orboth of the notches 48 out of the ath ofthe arm 40, so that the latter is bloc ed or interfered with .with a radial and arm 4() into the position shown 1u Fig.

exact dctailsofconstructioiror arrangement of parts, but Iam entitled to prevent it frombe'iiig moved out of its effective position until the notches 1S are again brought in-to the path of the arm 40. N ow4` the wheel 1-1 islocked against turning; as shown in Fic. 1, and thelocking or securing means 2t`29-30 is rendered inaceessib e -because of the apertures 35and 37 being ont of registry. When it is desired to unlock the wheel 11, the pushers 51 are repeatedly operated until the pins or studs 58 have moved to the tangible position and retreated tothe intangible position, thus indicating that `the tumblers 46 are at the starting point; that is, atthe point from which the combination-is based or started: For instance, assuming that the uppenpin 50 is set so that when it leaves the 4spring 60, the upper plunger 51 must be operated ninetimes to bring the notch 48 of the upper tumbler into the path ofthe arm 40, and thelower pin 50'isise't so that the lower pusher 51 must be actuated'twice in order to bring the 4notch 48 of the lower tumbler into the path ofthe arm it will be seen that the conlbination equals 9 2and that a great number l of combinations may be obtained by placing the pins at different points on the tuniblers; also that the number of -tumblers and pushers may vbe' increased so as tomake the scope of the combination still greater.

From the foregoing, it'i-willbeseen that I have provided a loekof which is fully going objects. 1 l AlthoughI. havcdescribed this embodiment of my to makechanges within the scope of 'the foregoing ldescriptionandfollowing claims.' e

' "TVhatjI'c/laim as my. invention'is means operable to 11,'1In a lock', .atv bod y,' secure said bodyto andv movable object, means Vto to and release-it froni an release it from av connect said body external ob] ect: 'so

" as to .prevent movement. of saidtmovable obi v'ject with relati( .means operable to' secure release-vit from a movable connectsaid body to. and release it trom an in to said external object,v a

.device including afhandle'by which it is op-` erable to render' the first and'secondfsaid means incapable-ot beingoperated, and interfering n'ieai'is to render theA incapableof beingfop'erated.

2. yInaflo'ck7 the combination of a body,

object. @means to external object -and thus prevent movement ofsaid movable objectl with relation to said external object, a. manip'ulative device movable -to al position to the irst'and second said means incapable of being operated, and a permutation device.

`movable from a predetermined start-ing po? sit-ionin which it' prevents operation ofsaid l manipulative device great merit and" capable of attainingthe forei invention ver v specifically,4 'it is -not'intended to-limit this. iventgiontolthese said handle inembeig Said body to and ysimultaneously render' position in which said manipulative release it from a. movable object, means to i connect said body to and release it from an external object and thus prevent movement of said movableobject with relation to said external object, a manipulative device movable to a position that sin'iultaneously renders the first and second said means incapable of being operated, a permutation device movable from a predetermined starting posi* tion in which it prevents operation of said to a position in which 1t permits operation of said manipulative device, and indicating means for indicating lwhen the said permutation device is at said starting position.

Y 1. A lock comprising -a movable element, interfering means rotatable from a predetermined interfering position to a non-interfering posit-ion with respect to said movable element, indicating means movable to and .from a tany le ositio'n so as to indicate through the Sense of feeling when said interfering means is at said predetermined position, and means cooperative withsaid interfering means for controlling said indicating means. y

5. Ina lock, a hollow body7 a member raving a: portion insertible into said hollow body so as to combine with tli'c latter t`or einbracing an external object. a securing elementv in said hollow body and-movable into and 4out of-locking lengagement with said membei, a connecting element comprising a portion insertible in and removable from the hollow body for connecting the latter to another external object, and a device mounted on and extending into said hollow body and being operable to prevent operation of said securing element and to prevent removal of Said connecting element from its connection w ith said hollow body. *I

6. In a lock, a hollow body, a member' having a portion insertible into said hollow body so as to combine with the latter for enibracingan externa-l object` a securing element in said hollow body and movable iut-o and out, of locking engagement with said a connecting` element comprising a portion nsertiblo in and removable from the hollow body for connect-ing the latter to another external objectr` a 1manipulative element mounted` on said hollow body and being operable to rendersaid securing element inaccessible7 and a locking device operable by said manipulative element to etiect the locking ot said connecting element in its connection with said hollow body.

In a look, a hollow body` al member having a portion insertible. into said hollow body so aS to combine with the latter for einbracing an external object, a securing ele'- ment in said holloiyvbody and movable into and ont of locking fen agement with said niembffrr, a connecting e ement comprising a ortioill insertible in and removable from the iiollow body for connecting the latter to another external object, a manipulative element mounted on said hollow body and being operable to render said securing element inaccessible, a locking device operable by said manipulative element to effect the locking of said connecting element in its connection with. said hollow body, and an interfering device in said hollow body and 'being operable to prevent the operation of said locking device.

SgIn a lock, a hollow body, a member having1 ""a portion insertible into said hollow bo y so as to combine with the latter for embracing an external object, a securing ele ment in said hollow body `and movable into and out of locking engagement with said member, a connecting element comprising a portion insertible in and removable from the hollow body for connecting the latter to another external object, a manipulative element mounted on said hollow body and being operable to render said securing element inaccessible, a locking device operable by said manipulative element to effect the locking of said connecting element in its connection with said hollow body, an interfering device in said hollow body and being adapted for movement into and out of position to interfere with the operation of said locking device, and anindicator shiftable by the movement of said interfering device and being eifective to indicate when said interfering means is in the noninterfering position.

9. In a lock, a hollow body, a member having a portion insertible into said hollow body so as to combine with the latter for embracing an external object, a securing element in said hollow body and movable into and out of locking engagement with 4said member, a connecting element comprising a ortion insertible in and removable from the hollow body for connectlng the latter to another external object, a manipulative element mounted on said hollow body and being operable to render said securing element inaccessible, a locking device operable by said manipulative element to effect the locking of said connecting element in its connection with said hollow body, an interfering device in said hollow body and being adapted for rotary movement into and out of position to interfere with the operation of said locking device, and an indicator operable by the rotation of`said interfering device an being eliective to indicate by the sense of touch when said interfering device is in the non-interferin position.

` In testimon whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK A. JOHNSON.

Witnesses z WILLIAM BIRD, MARY BIRD. 

